Have you ever noticed that no matter how how many tulips you plant in the fall, in the spring it's just never enough. As well as I plan for a certain number of early, mid and late blooming tulips to flower in glorious progression, I just never seem to strike that perfect balance. Speaking of balance, it's pretty much a given THAT will never happen in my garden. I can make someone else's garden a thing of beauty, but my own - yeah, right. Ain't gonna happen. Not for lack of trying mind you, but I think it's the element of experimentation with my own garden that makes it such an unfinished 'piece of work'. No matter, there just isn't any more beautiful a sight than a flower bed full of tulips, daffodils and grape hyacinth in the spring. Unless of course it's a big beautiful clump of Pasque flowers. My neighbour has a gorgeous Pasque flower blooming in his beds each spring, and I am always surprised at how early they bloom. Last year I meant to get a piece of his pasque flower, but never did. I'll be rectifying that later on today neithbour! And if you're unfamiliar with this pretty little gem, here's a wee bit of info to rectify that deficit as well.

Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla Vulgaris) derives it's name from Pâques, French for Easter, because of the time of it's appearance in April to June. It is a part of the buttercup family but most closely related to the genus Anemone. Other common names include windflower, meadow anemone and Easter flower. It is hardy in zones 4-8. The entire plant is covered with soft, silvery hairs.  It stands upright with large purple bell-shaped flowers which are furry on the outside and silky inside, with bright golden stamens.  The flowers emerge shortly after the first leaves appear. Fertilized flowers produce a roundish seedhead with a feathery look. The attractive silvery seedheads remain on the plant for a few weeks after which the ripe seeds are dispersed by the wind.

Pasque flowers grow best in well drained soil in full sun. It does not tolerate being disturbed, but can be transplanted if care is taken.  Cut back all open flowers and large buds before moving. The plant should produce new growth and become lush and rebloom in about 4 weeks. Fertilize very lightly. Although drought tolerant once established, when dividing it, take care to keep the new divisions moist. One mature plant can be divided into 4 or 5 new plants.

Well, it's time to get myself out of this chair and take a little pooch for a walk. Then, since I've run out of room in my own flower beds, I'm going to dig out my new gardening gloves, shovel and two or three big pots and play havoc with the neighbours garden. Good thing he likes me and dislikes gardening. ~Callie

Callie is the author of  "Callies Gardens" at http://www.calliesgardens.com/

Ok, it final.  No more dilly dallying, no more putting it off. The bird feeder has to go somewhere else. Last night I was trying to get to sleep but the bird feeder was banging against the deck post. It does that when it's windy. I thought "Wait a minute, it's not windy!" I reluctantly drug my sleepy self out of bed and into the living room from where my windows looks down upon the front deck. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light on the deck, I thought the corner post where the bird feeder hung looked a bit odd. Then the post moved. I did a double take and focused... it looked like a cat was balanced on the deck railing, leaning up against the post, reaching into the bird feeder. That did NOT make sense and it was one Big cat. My neighbour Jim has a really big fat cat, but there is no way that cat could hoist himself up on a chair, let alone do a balancing act on a deck railing. As I stood there watching, I remembered one of the neighbours mentioning that there was a raccoon in the neighborhood and it suddenly dawned on me that I had the little masked marauder at the bird feeder. Being the evil person I am, I quietly raised my window and let out one ferocious growl. I've never seen anything jump higher or faster than that Raccoon.  It took off like a shot. I had a good chuckle and went back to bed.

Today I shopped around town and found a fine Shepherds hook at a good price down at the Co-op garden center, said hello to Sally and went happily home and firmly seated it in the ground and then hung the bird feeder on it.  My sweet neighbour Glady's can still watch the birds, maybe not so conveniently, but at least the flower gardens won't suffocate under all the sunflower husks and Rodney the Racoon won't have as easy a time pilfering free food. Whew... what a day. And if that weren't enough, I let Dr. Butler freeze my left index finger and poke around it with a very sharp object... probably a knife, but I didn't look. As long as I can't see it, it's not happening. Can you imagine... I have an infected wart. For crying out loud. Now I really do have to break out the debit card and buy those cool rubber tipped gardening gloves that Joan has at her garden center. I went to visit Joan last week and got so homesick for working with her in the garden center that I just couldn't bring myself to buy anything else that whole day. Sheesh.  I did buy my first Pansies from Joan though. She and Sally are the smartest garden center managers in town. They both had Pansies in by the end of April. Sussex is famous for Pansy lovers, and no wonder! Pansies are the earliest, prettiest, hardiest flowers around these parts, and they smell divine. No matter how much they get hybridized, WE here in Sussex still prefer the ones with the faces.

So, here's the scoop on Pansies. Commonly known as viola or pansy, it is a member of the Violaceae family which is part of the family of herbs. Pansies need high levels of light, so they obviously enjoy full sun. A light, well drained soil is preferred and should be somewhat acidic (pH of 5.5 to 5.8). Dry them out between watering but don't allow them to wilt. Do not over water your pansies which will cause roots to rot and encourages nutrient deficiencies. Pansies do well in cool weather, so when the hot season hits, your pansies will become more stressed and susciptible to root rot disease and pests such as spider mites, aphids and thrips. To keep them healthy pinch them back to prevent long leggy stems and apply a general-purpose fertilizer containing trace elements of magnesium, and just keep them cool. I don't normally plant pansies in my flower beds, I like them in hanging baskets and containers that I can move around. But really, it doesn't matter where you plant them... just plant them. Oh yes... in case you didn't know, pansies are edible. So if you see them as a garnish on something at Tys and Tails, try them... then let me know how they taste! ~Callie

Callie is the author of "Callies Gardens" at http://www.calliesgardens.com/

Going out the door the other morning I was startled by all the Grackles on the lawn. I must have been just as startling because most of them took flight as soon as I closed the front door. Phew, bird dander everywhere! They're not my favourite bird, but when the sun shines on them just right their feathers shine a glossy purple and/or greenish hue. Kind of pretty. I'm not sure what they were eating but my bird book says their food includes, insects, seeds, grain, salamanders, eggs and young of other birds and even small fish. Since there are no small fish on my lawn, or salamanders either, my guess would be insects and/or seeds. Grackles make the most annoying calls, somewhat like a rusty hinge being forced open...thankfully they're one of the less vocal birds around. I am, however, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the  flock of pretty yellow finches that take up residence in the shrubs and trees around here every spring. I plan to set up a feeding station away from the flower beds, but close enough for my downstairs neighbour, Gladys, to continue enjoying the show.  I'm currently designing something that will look lovely as part of the outside decor, but be easy to reach but more importantly - clean. I've heard the hummingbirds are back in some places, though I haven't seen my first one of the year yet.

Now believe it or not, I've already seeded some flowers in my front step containers.  Asters, zinnias and alyssum - they were seeds left over from last year. I haven't watered the containers yet, but drug them out from under the overhang to let mother nature do her best.  We'll see what happens. If they come then good, if not, oh well. On the flower bed front, Tulips are popping up with a vengence along with all the other spring bulbs. I'm heading out to the neighbours back flower bed to finish digging up some perennials that I didn't see last fall for all the weeds. He's turning the flower bed into a vegetable garden next weekend, so I'd bed get while the gettin's good!  I saw a couple of lupines about an inch high along with a few other choice specimens, but I especially wanted the lupine.  I know they grow wild along the side of the road, but I haven't been able to cltivate even one in my garden.  I Love Lupines... they have the greatest peppery smell when in full bloom and they are a magnificent sight in droves. Lupines (Lupinus) are a member of the pea family, are extremely hardy in this region and flower in mid to late June. Deadheading will often result in a second flush of flowers in late July or August, although the spikes will be smaller than those of June.

Grow lupins in a sunny spot with light, slightly acidic soil and fertilized lightly. The will grow all right if planted in heavier soils but they tend to die out after a few years, even though they are fairly short-lived to begin with. You can start lupins easily from seed by firstly soaking the seed for 24 hours in warm water before sowing. You can sow outside in the fall or indoors in the late winter or early spring after a period of wet/cold treatment (4 to 6 weeks). Plants will flower the year after planting.  Well, time to put down the pen and take up the shovel - that is, if I can find my shovel. I think I lent it to that pesky neighbour of mine. Time to reclaim the tools... so next week then... ~Callie

Callie is the author of "Callies Gardens" at http://www.calliesgardens.com/

I know, I know... spring has been officially here for about a month now, but the REAL spring just arrived so I'm excited. This was one of those springs that takes you by surprise. I went to Ontario on the 8th to attend son #2's graduation from Basic Training in the Air Force, and spring wasn't here when I left. It was here when I got back  5 days later though.  I walked around and did a general inspecition and all kinds of things had popped out of the ground in that 5 day span. I even had a couple of crocus blooming. I think I planted the crocus on the wrong side of the house... it doesn't get much sun there so they don't bloom as early. Since I'm not one of those people who would don their long johns and mittens to go clear the spring debris from their garden, I've waited until now. I dug out my rake, my tools and my kneeling pad to go do a proper job of the clean up so it's high-ho, high-ho, off to the garden I go this afternoon. I'm typing as fast as I can so I can get to it. So in light of the spring clean up theme, here are some tips on getting your garden all set for the upcoming show!

- Clear dead plant debris from your garden and burn, if possible. Only add this matter to your compost if it heats up enough to kill disease and/or insect pests.
- Prune any limbs, growth etc from trees and shrubs, that was damaged over the winter. As mentioned last week, the purple leafed sandcherry is one you should wait to prune until after it blossoms. When pruning larger limbs, do so just above the branch collar so it will heal properly. The collar is that ring of bark at the base of the limb. Do not apply tree paint, just leave the pruned area exposed to the air to dry.
- Now is the time to apply dormant oil to your trees and shrubs (just before the buds swell) to control overwintering insects. Follow the directions on the product to avoid damaging the plants you are trying to protect.
- Early spring is prime planting time. Once the ground is thawed, you can plant your trees, shrubs and hardy vines. It's best to wait till all danger of frost is past before planting perennials and tender vines such as clematis. Harden off perennials and annuals that have been greenhouse grown, to give them time to adapt to outdoor weather conditions. The most common reason plants don't do well is due to transplant shock.
- After the garden is cleaned up, now is the ideal time to freshen up with a light layer of mulch. Not only does it give a little extra protection, but it makes your garden look fabulous this early in the season.

Now, I'm off to clean my garden. I noticed that all those bulbs I bought at Sobey's last fall are just about all poking through the soil. I bought a bunch of bluebells for the first time and can't wait for the show... So here we go again! ~Callie

Callie is the author of "Callies Gardens" at http://www.calliesgardens.com/

Everytime I started to write this column all I wanted to write about was my brother Andy who just recently died.  I think I've gone through 4 or 5 drafts over the last 3 weeks and deleted every one of them, missing 3 deadlines, by thinking a gardening column was not the appropriate place to reminisce. Well, from time to time even I am wrong. Spring is my favourite time of the year and it was Andy's too.  You'd never hear him gripe too much about winter, but he was always happy to see spring. He used to laugh at me for spending all my money on flowers, shake his head with a crooked smile and  mumble "silly girl"... but he always liked looking at them. He told me he wasn't much for flowers, but spring flowers were "all right" cause all the colours were present.  Not just the purples, oranges and yellows of fall, or the pinks, reds and blues of summer, but all of them mixed together "the way it should be".  As in everything in his life, he had very specific (and sometimes very funny) ideas about flowers.  We was as puzzled by my passion for flowers, as I was puzzled by his lack of passion for them. A couple of times we raised our glass together in the toast "To each his own". My house warming present from him was a purple leaf sandcherry.  Not big and flashy flowers, but a handsome and understated shrub. So my column today is in honor of  my brother Andy who will never grow old just like the Purple leaf Sandcherry he gave me.

Purple Leaf Sandcherry (Prunus x cistena) belongs to the Rose family and has pinkish white, fragrant flowers in spring with leaves that stay red-purple all season. It is hardy in zones 2 to 7 and grows to a height of 7 to 10 feet with a spread about as wide. It prefers full sun, moist well drained soil that is in the medium 4 to 7 Ph range (more alkaline than acidic).  This shrub keeps it's shape well, however occassional pruning is required along with fertilizing to keep it in good shape. In winter it can easily suscumb to heavy snow and ice damage so if it needs pruning, wait until after it flowers in the spring.  The Purple Leaf Sandcherry can suffer from the same pest and disease problems as the Rose, but not with the same degree of seriousness.  Trunk canker and borers are the main threat, but usually not until the shrub is older. The average life span is about 8 to 10 years, so it's obviously not a long lived shrub. If you are going to move this shrub or plant a new one, do so in the spring as it is a bit touchy about fall planting.

As far as shrubs go, this one is a beauty. I planted the one Andy gave me 3 years ago, right in the middle of my flower bed.  As it grows, I'll prune the lower branches off to allow for the growth of the flowers underneath. I love the colour of the foliage when the sun shines on them... they literally glow. Apparently it's easy to propagate from softwood cuttings, so I'm obviously going to try next fall after it goes dormant. 

For now, I'll just enjoy the beauty of my house warming gift from a favourite brother that thought I was too crazy about flowers.  ~Callie

Callie is the author of "Callies Gardens" at http://www.calliesgardens.com/

Everytime I see bamboo I think of Larry the Cucumber on the Veggie Tales show. My kids loved those videos growing up and now they're on TV. In one of the videos Larry the Cucumber sings "Silly Songs with Larry"... the song is so ridiculous that Bob the tomato makes him stop singing. But Larry ends the song by saying "Bamboo, bamboo... Bamboo, bamboo."  The kids would walk around the house all day saying "Bamboo, bamboo" and giggling like silly goofballs.

But I digress. I wanted to talk to you about all the bamboo I'm seeing in the stores lately. I started to notice an increase of bamboo availability last summer, but didn't think much of it. Now I'm seeing it everywhere... even at work. A number of people have these mini bamboo plants on their desks. So I decided to do a bit of research and came up with some very interesting information.  Most of the mini bamboo variety is actually "Dracaena Sanderana (Lucky Bamboo) and not a true bamboo plant. True bamboo range in hardiness from -32C, like Fargesia nitida (Fountain Bamboo) which has a strong arching effect, is tough, beautiful and clumping... perfect for a lazy gardener like myself.  When Nitida flowers it is a very rare event.  Many in the world have not flowered since the 1880's and the plant usually dies after the onset of flowering.

Bamboo that are ideal for indoors, includes 'Indocalamus tessellatus' (Giant Leaf Bamboo).  Hardy to -26C, it can grow to an average height of 7 feet with a 1/2" diameter.  It adapts well to shady sites and is a favourite pick for indoor contairner growth. It is used extensively for erosion control in China and Japan.

Indoor bamboos prefer light soil, high in organic matter and slightly on the dry side, but placed on a pebble tray with water for humidity. Humidity seems to be the key to success with bamboo cultivation so the pebble tray should contain a small amount of water at all times. To limit the height of the bamboo,  chop it off at the desired height and that stalk (culm) will never grow higher. Bamboo culms (stalks) come from the ground at the thickness they will have for their entire life. You fertilize bamboo in early spring with a slow release lawn fertilizer.

All in all, the bamboo is a very interesting plant to consider for both indoors and out. I'll be keeping an eye out for it at the garden centers this spring.  "Bamboo, bamboo". ~Callie

Callie is the author of "Callies Gardens" at http://www.calliesgardens.com/

I don't know about you but this has been one of the oddest holiday seasons I've ever gone through.  Recovering from surgery, I did not get out to do ANY shopping until one week before Christmas.  I thought I'd be rested enough to do a marathon day... boy was I wrong.  It took me 2 days to recover from it.  Thankfully, all my children are young adults and was able to help with a lot and we were invited out for Christmas dinner, so I didn't feel pressured to make anything except the dressing.  I've been voted best Turkey Dressing maker in the entire family (and I have a huge family), so I contribute the dressing no matter who cooks the dinner.  Kind of an honor I guess seeing as so many people are really fussy about their dressing.

The other thing that made it really strange was realizing that my middle son was heading off to join the Air Force after the holidays... we dropped him off at the airport this morning and I cried and was teary all the way home.  This place is going to be too quiet for a long while until we all get used to him being gone.  That boy made the place hum... he was perpetual motion personified!  Ah well, I still have two at home until the fall when one or both go off to college.  Then I think I'm going to have to buy my own place so I'll have Mega gardening to occupy me.  Actually, that's in the plans but I'm not quite sure how it will all come to pass.  Guess I'll leave that in the Lord's hands.

Anyway, it was a Wonderful Christmas with all of my children home and me home to but now it's time to get back into the swing of things again.  2008 is going to see a lot of changes on this homefront, and so to kick it off, I've decided to do some radical changes on my website... get it up-to-date for one thing, and then I think it's time to export the whole thing into a new facelift.  It needs a new skin, so to speak.

The first order of gardening business for 2008 is to seek out and explore the gardening wonders in my own backyard.  I started a little project year before last in my hometown and started a photo gallery of many of the lovely gardens in town.  The first thing I discovered is that I need a tripod for my camera, and also I need to read the manual so I can take better pics.  Maybe I should take a course from Freeman Patterson to learn how to make ordinary pictures, fabulous pictures.  To photograph flowers and landscapes is the most fun thing I've ever done besides growing them.  So in my spare time this summer, that Sussex Gardens Photo Gallery is going to be expanded and improved.

I'm going to post a few pictures from the gallery to give you an idea of the backyard beauties right under our noses here in beautiful Sussex.  Till next time, Toodles!
~Callie

My inbox is filling up on a daily basis now with offers of snips and snails and puppy dog tails...   just kidding, but the rate of sales promo's are increasing exponentially as each day passes and the Dec. 25th countdown draws closer.  As you all know I LOVE all things "Garden", so about the only offers that don't get deleted without opening are the ones from Gardener's Supply ... my all time favourite site btw... I was browsing through the site this afternoon and came across some really colourful birdhouses.  They would look great in my flower gardens next spring, but they'd look really cute if I could get them in the ground before it freezes and then decorate them up with clear mini-lights for Christmas.  Hmmm... I have so many ideas, I just wish my budget could keep up with them all!!

Even though I hate to admit it, I like the Gardening Section at Wal Mart too, particularly the gardening books section.  They've got one book that I think I Have to have.  Let's see if I can insert a picture of the book... once you see it, you'll know why I want it so much.  OK.. here we go...


See... didn't I tell you?  It's beautiful and I have to order it today.  Maybe I'll order 2 of them and give one as a Christmas present.  I have someone in particular that would really like it, so there... it's settled.  Anyway if you want to get the book yourself, I'll link the picture so you'll know where to get it.  Actually, here is the link: Walmart

In the Blue column on the Left side of the page under "Related Categories" click on 'books'... for some strange reason I can't seem to link the picture.  Hmmm... It's been so long since I've fooled with html, I've forgotten how to do that.  I'll save this for now and go back and fool with it later.

Anyway, gots ta go... I'll check back in with y'all Friday... gotta work 12 hr day tomorrow ...  later gators   ~Callie

Ok, so I checked out that free iPhone thingy and just in case you had any doubts about nothing in life being free... I'm here to tell ya.... you're right.  The promotion I came across was on eBay and you Could get a "Free" iPhone if you registered at a referral program.  You register for one of their 'free' offers and then refer a few people.  You need 8 referrals for the "Free" iPhone, but if you check the Offers out, you'll find that most of them require a monthly committment after the free trial offer expires. 

Working in a bank has taught me to NEVER give my credit card info to any of these companies when registering for a "Trial Offer".  It's easy to sign up, but once they start billing your card, it's hell-on-wheels to get them to stop. I've advised many people to cancel their card and have a new one issued to stop the charges - even after they've tried to cancel the subscription several times.

Long Story Short - The Free iPhone is NOT free.   I'll keep looking for a great deal  on it and let you know when I find it.

~Toodles 

I must have been cross eyed when I wrote that last post... first I put iPod, then went back and corrected it, then checked the link and can't find one darn iPhone on the site. I don't know what I was looking at... anyway I did a search to find out where in the heck I saw those iPhones... and discovered a way to get a FREE iPhone!!  I'm checking it out as we speak, and will post tomorrow about how to do it... be patient OK?  I'll be back with the low-down tamarraw... :)

I know this is Really deviating from gardening, but HAH!!!  I can't believe it... I have been watching those Apple iPhone  commercials on TV for, I don't know how long and now Finally... finally... we can get them here.  Well, here in the Maritimes and WITH service... well, I don't know about that... but dang it Charlie, we can buy the iPod here in good ol' New Brunswick.

At least that's what Wal*Mart is telling me. I have been coveting the iPhone ever since I first saw it on the boob tube. I'm a bit of a techie wannabe, but wannabe or not, I know a good thing when I see it.  You know what's even better????? Apple is making all the service providers dance to Their tune!!!   I love it!!!  It doesn't get any better for consumers.  Instead of us having to settle for Rogers et al crappy terms, Apple is actually saying to Rogers, hey boys, if you want this baby, you have to offer this kind of package for the buyers, else, we don't let you near it.  Soooo Cool.  I love you Steve Jobs!!!  I have resisted buying a cell phone till now because the service providers give pathetic service packages for a phone.  You my darling Steve, understand what we REALLY want and are forcing the ****'s to provide it for us with a Trés-COOL Mobile device... ie.. cell phone and ohhh so much more.  I Love it and I'm 50 yrs old, my kids love it, my neighbours love it and here in New Brunswick, everyone I know drools over it.  Steve Jobs... I wish you wouldn't even fool around with Rogers... Rogers sucks...  Do the deal with Aliant.  If you were half smart you would realize that Aliant was the premier company in this part of the world who pioneered call center and high speed technology.  From what I understand the rest of the US is trying to still catch up with us... We are totally fiber optic man... So why not use us as the pilot for iPhone... Aliant would drool and give you the whole east coast... 

Accckkk.... if you don't believe me look at this...Click On iPhone at Walmart.com
What else can I say...I'm evil and it's totally on my wish list.  My kids asked me what I wanted for Christmas - well there are two things... A night stand that matches my bedroom set, and the iPhone.  That's it.  Heh heh heh... Oh, yeah and the iPhone is on their site too...

 Let's see if they take the hint!!! LOL

~Later gators... till next time!!!

It's official. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I know that surprises you all, but it's true. How did I discover this devastating fact, you ask? Well, I was updating my blog and then decided to click on the link to my website just to see what I needed to update there, and lo and behold, my website did not appear.  Instead, what appeared was my old website address.  I thought to myself, "what the hey?" and proceeded to click on the other links from my blog... more old sitedness. So I went a-lookin and discovered that I neglected to hyperlink almost all of my website links to my new website address. DUH... Double DUH actually.  So, that's what I've been doing for the last little while... how about you?

Not being too sharp reminds me of how important sharp gardening tools are... and lucky me, I received a beautiful set of gardening clippers for Christmas to use for this springs onslaught.  Look out plants cause those new clippers inevitably have to get broken in, but I don't think I'll wait until spring... my rubber tree needs a little help right about now and here's how:

"Ficus elastica" is the classic Rubber Tree, Rubber Plant or India Rubber Plant.  Native to India and Malaysia, the leaves, stems and wood of 'elastica' when broken or damaged, secrete a white sticky sap and is the substance that rubber can be made from.  Some people are allergic to this sap if it gets on their skin. Rubber plants like bright light, however do not place them directly in the hot sun. When new leaves emerge place it where it will receive less light which will help it grow larger leaves. Rubber plants are sensitive to temperature changes, particularly from a warm to a cool room, so keep them out of cold drafts and a safe distance from heat sources.

Keep your rubber plant evenly moist during the spring and summer growing cycle, and fertilize with a weak mixture of a liquid house plant food. During the rest of the year, keep it on the dryer side and cease fertilizing it. Rubber plants tend to lose their lower leaves, usually from environmental reasons,(too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet, too dirty, etc.) so be sure to clean dust off the leaves with a damp cloth. If your rubber tree does lose some leaves, watch for new shoots emerging from the old leaf node. A very light nick right above the old node, with a sharp,clean knife, will hasten new growth ... but be sure not to cut too deeply.

OK... so now to find a pot big enough to transplant that poor rubber tree into... maybe I'll hold off on the snipping and nicking until it gets securely rooted and feeling safe at home in it's new pot...then the evil laughter will ensue as I break out the new clippers! ~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/

My daughter got her license. Yikes... here we go again. She took driver training so it wasn't too terrifying an ordeal for me to teach her how to drive, but teaching her how to drive a standard? Totally different kettle of fish. I know this may sound cruel, but I never laughed so hard as when I took her out and tried to teach her how to work that clutch. She'd pop the clutch and squeal out of the driveway spewing gravel every which way.  I laughed. (Don't tell Bruce, OK?)  She'd stall the car ten times at a stop before being able to merge into traffic.  I laughed. She'd get all frustrated at shifting into 4th when she was supposed to shift into 2nd... I laughed. She called me a retard and stopped driving the standard. I've been informed that I need to get an automatic. No way... she's just too funny to drive with.

Ahhh... never a dull moment in this household...and that brings me to the fact that I just couldn't stand to go another week without writing a little somethin about somethin so I've decided Cyclamen is a fitting topic to blather on about, so here goes...

Cyclamen are part of the primrose family and  provides florists with plant cultivars based on 'Cyclamen persicum'. These generally are winter and spring flowering plants (indoor) and are available in a wide range of colours.  There are twenty species of cyclamen, including the commonly available 'Cyclamen persicum', or florist’s cyclamen. Cyclamen persicum is native to the eastern Mediterranean and like the primrose, it belongs to the Primulaceae family.

Cyclamen bloom mainly in winter and have a rest period beginning in the spring and then  enter dormancy during the hot summer months.  Their blooming period generally extends from November to March, and a plant may flower for close to three months under good conditions. Cyclamen are found in open woodlands so this means that they are adapted to bright but filtered light. Direct exposure to the noonday sun may damage their foliage. They do very well if set next to a window with morning or late afternoon sun. Cool temperatures are essential to extend your plant’s life—about 15 to 18°C during the day, and ideally 12 to 15°C at night. Cyclamens won't be too happy in a house heated much above 18°C, or with the dry air that goes with it. If you can't provide cool enough conditions, the plant will survive for awhile, but eventually it will develop yellow foliage and its blooming time will be cut short. The plant will tolerate indoor conditions better if you move it to a cool spot at night. Make sure to provide as much light as possible in its daytime location.

Watering incorrectly can cause lots of problems, especially if it's been watered too much. Wait until the soil surface feels dry before you water, but don't wait until the plant becomes limp. Don't water the center of the plant or the tuber may rot. A cyclamen prefers to receive a good soaking, then dry out partially before receiving a good soaking again. Allow the plant to drain over a sink or empty the water collection tray beneath the container after a few minutes to help prevent the roots from remaining too wet, which can lead to rotting.

Fertilize your cyclamen with a water-soluble fertilizer recommended for use on indoor plants, mixed half strength. Apply it every 3 or 4 weeks, starting about a month after you receive the plant. Overfeeding is more likely to produce foliage than flowers. Dead flowers or leaves should be removed by giving their stems a sharp tug. If a sharp tug doesn't remove them, wait another day and try again. You don't want to risk yanking out a chunk of the tuber along with other healthy leaves.

After your cyclamen has finished blooming, its leaves will begin to turn yellow and it will enter a dormant state. Most people discard the plant at that point. However, you may be able to force it to bloom again. Stop watering when the leaves turn yellow and wither. Keep the pot in a cool place, if possible, and allow the soil to become dry. Once all the leaves have dried, a process that could take up to two months, the tuber may be re-potted into a container that is 1 inch larger in diameter than the old pot. The top half of the tuber should protrude above the soil line to assure adequate drainage and avoid tuber rot. Do not water it, as this could trigger new growth prematurely. In fall when new leaves start to grow, water the soil thoroughly. Wait for shoots to appear and the soil to become dryish--then water thoroughly again.

Now that you know all about Cyclamens, I think I'll ask Jennie to take me for a drive... I need a good laugh!

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/

You think something is firmly ingrained in our culture until someone asks you "What's a Poinsettia... those red things?"  Well I'm going to cut to the chase and give you some Poinsettia facts and a few tips to help you care for and prolong the life of your Poinsettia. You know... just to help with the ingraining process.

Some Facts: Poinsettias are native to Mexico and are part of the Euphorbiaceae family. Many plants in this family ooze a milky sap which may cause skin irritation on some people. In their native habitat, poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that can grow up to ten feet tall. The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think are the flowers are actually colored bracts (leaves)...the flowers or 'cyathia' of the poinsettia are in the center of the colorful bracts. A fresh poinsettia will have little or no yellow pollen showing on the flower clusters in the center of the bracts and plants that have shed their pollen drop their colorful bracts soon thereafter. Poinsettias are priced according to the number of blooms, so the more blooms, the more expensive the plant. By the way, Poinsettias are not poisonous, contrary to popular belief. Poinsettias were introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Poinsett and there are over 100 varieties of poinsettias available.

Poinsettia Care: The length of time your poinsettia will stay looking good is dependent on the maturity of the plant, when you buy it, and how you care for it. They should keep their beauty for weeks and some varieties will stay attractive for months. Make sure your poinsettia is wrapped properly because exposure to low temperatures even for a few minutes can damage the bracts and leaves. All florist shops will know this and wrap your poinsettia carefully, but very few retail merchants specialize enough to instruct their sales personnel in the proper care needed to get the plants home unscathed.

Once you've got your poinsettia home, unwrap it carefully by cutting the sleeve it comes in, from the bottom to the top.  Some poinsettias will break easily depending on the variety, so don't be too rough with it.  Oh yes...place in indirect light for at least six hours of light daily. Keep the plant from touching cold windows and away from warm or cold drafts from radiators, air registers or open doors and windows. Ideal daytime temperatures are around 15-20°C (60 to 70°F) and night time temperatures are around 12°C (55°F). Beware...high temperatures will shorten the plant’s life so if you can move the plant to a cooler room at night, it will thank you. Check the soil daily and water when dry as wilted plants will tend to drop bracts sooner. If the plant came wrapped in foil, be sure to punch holes in foil so water can drain into a saucer and then discard the excess water.  If you keep your poinsettia past the holiday season you should fertilize it with a houseplant fertilizer once a month, but don't fertilize when it's in bloom.

Getting your poinsettia to re-bloom is not an easy task but it can be done.  It's also a whole other article that I won't tackle until the new year.  However, after the holiday season (in February or early March) when your plant may start to look a bit scraggly, cut back each of the old flowering stems to 4 to 6 inches in height and that will promote new growth... by that time I'll re-visit your poinsettia and see what we can do with it... that is, if I can remember.  Now, I've got to get some Christmas shopping done... big time... so if you don't hear from me till after Christmas, don't worry, I'll be back!

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/

The rate of grey hair sprouting on my head has slowed down considerably since my teenage son has stopped driving. The down side of that is that I don't have as much to complain and joke about, but less grey hair is very appealing. But what am I talking about... I won't be driving either if I don't get my old bucket of bolts fixed. The upside of that is that I'll have to walk to work everyday and that will certainly help the old girls figure! Hmmm... no wheels = less grey hair and a toned body... I may be onto something there girls... but nawwww... I want my wheels! Good thing I live next door to a mechanic... I wonder if I can sweet talk him into fixing my car. I'd actually consider mending his holey jeans for that. Anyway, let's move on before I stick my foot in my mouth or something worse. I wanted to cover the topic of Amaryllis, since I'm seeing them in all the stores now. A lot of people like the looks of them but are kind of scared to try them... they look just too perfect for the average Joe to get going, but nothing could be further from the truth. Here's the 'bees knees' on amaryllis.

Amaryllis is a tender bulb that will bloom without special treatment and is usually available in a pot that is only 1–2 inches larger in diameter than the bulb itself.  If not, then plant the bulb in light, rich soil in such a pot. The top half of the bulb should be exposed above the soil and then watered thoroughly. Let the soil really dry out between waterings and then water more frequently after the flower stalk appears, however, if the soil is already moist DO NOT water. Put the plant in a warm, sunny spot until the flower buds show color, then move it out of direct sunlight.

After your amaryllis blooms, cut the flowers off to prevent seed formation. Handle the foliage the same as a sun loving houseplant. Place it in the brightest location indoors until it is warm enough to move outside in the spring.  At that time you should place it where it will receive dappled sunlight and then gradually move it to a brighter location where it will receive full sun for at least five or six hours a day. 

Bring your Amaryllis indoors before the first fall frost. It will need a resting period of about 8 weeks, so place it in a dark location and allow it to dry out, leaves included. You can then force the bulb to bloom again. You may need to re-pot the bulb in a slightly larger container, but if the pot is still large enough just replace the top 2 inches of soil with fresh potting soil. This cycle can be repeated every year for beautiful winter blossoms.

Amaryllis can also be kept growing year-round without the rest/forcing cycle. If you do it that way the bulbs probably won't bloom until spring. They'll still need a yearly refreshing of the soil along with lots of light and fertilizer to ensure repeat blooms.Often small bulblets will develop from a well-grown amaryllis. You may separate them gently from the large bulb and repot them, or you can leave them attached and allow to grow to full size along with the original bulb. You could end up with a large pot containing several amaryllis, all blooming at once . . . a spectacular sight!

So you see, with a little loving care you can have a steady supply of bulb flowers from late January to April. So you go ahead and get your Amaryllis started... and I'll see what I can do about getting my car started... yoohoo... Mr. Mechanic... got a minute?

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/

I'm not one for forcing anything... wait... yes I am. I force my kids to do the dishes, I force them to clean up their rooms and I force them to pick up their messes.  Well, to be honest, I don't force them very often cause I'm a sap... but when I really need to I can force things. Wish I could force my boss to give me a raise... but alas he's bigger than me. A lot bigger. Don't think I'll push my luck with the forcing thing there... but forcing bulbs indoors, well hey, I can do that!  If you haven't got them yet, pick up a package of spring bulbs (whatever you can get at this late date) and make sure you have a pot and soil available. The outside temperatures right now are going to help us accomplish the task without taking up space in your fridge... for the time being at least. If you see any amaryllis, be sure to pick one of those up too, as we can get them both going at the same time. Sooo... on your mark, get set....

Take a largish pot... at least 4 inches deep by 8 inches in circumference... use good, sterile potting soil and fill it to within a half inch from the top of the pot for easier watering  The pot should be loosely filled with soil and don't worry about fertilizing or feeding the bulbs as they've stored enough food to make them bloom once.

Plant the bulbs close together in the pot with the tips exposed about a half inch or so. Place the 'flat' side of the tulip bulb next to the rim of the pot so the largest leaf will emerge and grow on that side, which will produce a nicer looking display. It's very important that you handle the bulbs with care at all times. Don't place the bulbs in temperatures above 65 degrees F and don't press the bulbs into the soil. The bulbs should be watered immediately upon planting, and never let the soil become dry.

Next, you need to give the bulbs a "Cold Treatment".  This means they need to be placed in temperatures of 1° - 8° C for 12 to 14 weeks.  Ideally, you should start your forced bulbs in October, but we're still ok for winter bloom. A cold frame, an unheated attic, a basement or unheated porch will most likely provide the cold temperatures you need but you must NOT let the bulbs freeze. You'll need to mark your calendar at the end of the time frame to remind yourself when to remove the bulbs from the cold to begin the forcing process.

On the average the bulbs will flower in three to four weeks once brought in from the cold. Place the pots in a cool, sunny location...a temperature of 10 to 15° C is ideal for the first week. Then, move the pot(s) to a warmer location but avoid direct sunlight. If your bulbs don't seem to develop the flower buds properly then place the plants in the dark for a few days (in a paper bag) as this will draw the flower out of the bulbs. Warmer temperatures will create more rapid growth and once the bulbs are blooming well, move the pots to a cool location each night...in your refrigerator if there is room. The cooler temperatures will prolong the life of the flowers.

Well, it's time to stop forcing the issue, but I'll forcefully implore you to try forcing a few bulbs into blooming submission... at least they can be.

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/

Aphids. I have em but don't want em. Want some? I've got lots and I'll share. They're easy enough to get rid off though, especially if you're not squeemish. Just squish them between your thumb and forefinger OR you can turn the tap on full blast and wash them down the sink, or you can dunk the whole plant (if if's not too big) right into a sinkfull of soapy water. It won't hurt your plants but I can assure you, the aphids won't like it one little bit. They're not good swimmers, nor do they like soap, but they are to be expected if you bring plants in from your garden. There are many different types of aphids and they may be green, yellow, brown, red, or black depending on the species and the plants they feed on, however, you'll probably first notice transparent green ones grouped on the tender stems of your plants. Many also are winged which gives them a way to move from a poor food source to find something better. Many species of aphids lay eggs in the soil and can progress from egg to reproducing adult in as little as 8 days, so the best control is prevention. When you bring your plants in from the garden, shake off all "outside" soil, and re-pot with fresh sterilized soil. Sooo...Do as I say, Not as I do. I didn't freshen my soil because (again let me remind you)... I'm a lazy gardener. Plus, I didn't have time to do it all "up right". I'm more into "damage control" and the excitement that comes with that.

I still have some geraniums residing on my kitchen table. My wonderful, kind, thoughtful brother-in-law (husband of "she") still hasn't dug out his woodworking tools to construct the promised plant-holder-stand-thingy he said he'd build me ONE year ago... hint, hint. And I noticed a spider web strung between two of the plants, so it's time to take matters into my own hands. First, where's the Raid... Second, where's my tools... I'm going to build something and it's not gonna be pretty. As long I can stand it in front of a bright window and it doesn't fall over, then we're good. That's another element to consider for the plants you bring in to overwinter - Light. Most outside plants are used to high light levels, so place them near a window that gets lots of bright light.

Now as many of you have been anticipating, next week I'm going to tell you how to force some bulbs indoors.  If you haven't got them yet, pick up a package of spring bulbs (whatever you can get at this late date) and make sure you have a pot and soil available. The outside temperatures right now are going to help us accomplish the task without taking up space in your fridge... for the time being at least. If you see any amaryllis, be sure to pick one of those up too, as we can get them both going at the same time. Sooo... on your mark, get set....

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/

I had to take a little vacation from writing last week so I hope ya'll didn't miss me too much. I'll tell you what I'm missing though... my garden. It looks so pathetic, all brown and twiggy and slimey.  I don't even want to touch those hostas now after the frost... they remind me of what vasaline must look like just before it becomes vasaline. Totally gross, so they're staying right where they're at until next spring, then I won't have to deal with them because nature will already have. So aside from clipping back the last straggly hollyhock and doing some final pruning, my garden is for all intents and purposes, put to bed for the winter.

If you have semi-hardy roses that you want to overwinter, now is the time to prune them down to about a foot above the bud union and trench them before the ground freezes. Dig a trench alongside where your rose is planted, about a foot deep and a foot long (right up to the rose), then gently lay the rose down in the trench and cover it with the removed soil.  Mulch heavily over the trench.  In the early spring, you'll dig it up, stand it up and re-fill in the hole. I've had pretty good success in the past with trenching, and it's worth the effort if you find a variety of rose that you love and want to keep.

The next job on my list is to get the outdoor furniture in storage before the high winds blow and the snow flies and it ends up in the neighbours yard. Then I'll be watching them enjoying my furniture next year instead of me! Cleaning up the gardening tools is also a must-do job... wash all traces of dirt off, dry them out and then apply a light rubbing of oil to them to prevent rust. I use my sewing machine oil because that was all I had one year and it worked great.  It's a light oil, spreads very finely on the tools and doesn't leave a residue.  Of course I don't have a lot of tools so one of those little cans did the job quite nicely with lots to spare.

Oh yes, before I forget, it's also time to fill the bird feeders if you want them to come around all winter. One word of caution though, if you start feeding the birds, don't stop because the little critters come to rely on your source of food when the snow is deep and food is harder to find. They'll continue hanging around your place right into the next summer where they'll chow down on all the "bad" bugs you don't want in your garden.  And that, as Martha says, is a Good Thing.

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/

I am sooo excited to tell you all that I've almost got my garden put to bed for the winter.  I planted bulbs, threw a little more mulch around, clipped, snipped, weeded (just a little) and did a general clean-up of dead garden debris. Now, the next job is to sweep all the spiders out of my back hallway - Again! There is one big brown spider hanging from the far end of the florenscent light fixture, that keeps escaping my attacks with the broom. Of course I'm grimacing and going "Eewwwww" the whole time I'm attacking him. I have visions of him leaping onto, and scurrying up the handle of the broom and onto my hand, where he'll bite me. Then my hand will turn black and fall off and I won't be able to dig any more holes in Bruce's lawn. 

Whew...Dang visions... I'm breaking into a sweat just thinking about it. I hate spiders. I think they hate me too. Especially that big brown one in my back hall. I hate to admit that spiders are very beneficial to the garden... if only they'd Stay in the garden. So, I've got to go buy a replacement broom head so I can throw the spider-infested one out after my next attack.  But now it's time to talk about something more pleasant shall we.  I can only talk about heebie-jeebie stuff for so long.

Time to rake your lawn and watch for dormancy, after which point you can apply fertilizer, preferably organic.  If you haven't had to mow your lawn in a couple of weeks, it's probably gone, or going, dormant.  Mound mulch up around the base of your less hardy shrubs when the temperatures start to go below freezing at night. This will protect the roots and stem base of your shrubs from damage due to temperature fluctuations. Don't cover your perennials over with mulch until the ground freezes - they need to breath up to that point. Right about now you can prune your spirea and potentilla shrubs by cutting them down by half, and prune out dead and thin straggly branches. Any ripened sunflower seed heads should be brought inside for drying now.  Put them individually in brown paper bags and poke a few small holes in the bag for air flow. Once thoroughly dry, you can use them in your bird feeder or save them for planting next year.

I've been contemplating what I'm going to talk about in the winter when most of us here in the Northern Hemisphere can no longer garden outside and need to content ourselves with indoor "gardening". Now take me for instance. I have tons of gardening books and magazines and would be what you typically call an 'armchair gardener' in the winter months. Most of us don't have a heated greenhouse, nor a whole lot of room to turn our homes into a sea of greenery. That doesn't mean there aren't lots of fun things to try out though.  Here's some things we'll consider in the next weeks... Forcing bulbs indoors (Narcissus, tulips, grape hyacinths, etc)... Cactus (especially Christmas cactus) which are ideally suited to the dry air conditions found in most homes in the winter.  Orchids, which aren't as hard to care for as one might think. As we get closer to the Christmas season, I'll give a few tips on how to use the elements from our 'bare ' gardens in Christmas wreaths and arrangements and how you can do this while pruning your dormant trees and shrubs.

But make sure you check out any harvested bounty for big brown spiders who are just waiting to pounce!

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://calliesgardens.com

I'm currently in a position where I have to tell you to "do as I say, not as I do".  I haven't been able to put my own garden to bed yet and I still have tulips to plant, dead plants to add to the compost pile, winter mulching to spread and a hose that needs drained, cleaned and put away.  Woe is me.  I have no idea when I'll get the time to do all of this.  Oh wait... Sunday... after church.  Sorry Lord, but it's the only day I have... suppose I could put an order in for some sundhine and warm temperatures for that day too?  Ok, Ok... sunshine then... I'll wear mittens.  Whew... how do working single moms do it all?  No wonder Statistics Canada has working single moms at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder.  There just is not enough hours or daylight to do everything like work, housework, sleep, garden and eat, let alone relax and enjoy life.  Somethings gotta give and for me, it's my poor little flower gardens!

Good news though, I did get my geraniums in, along with the candy vine, so now I've got to do a little "plant maintenance". I'll shut the housework down for the evening to do the required repairs.  Time to get "she's" handyman hubby to do a little construction for me... maybe a nice dinner and yummy dessert will entice them over to my lair!  On another note, a really kind, thoughtful neighbour of mine put my trellis up for me this week - Finally - No thanks to Bruce!  I'm going to dig another hole in his lawn just for making me wait so long... maybe two, for not putting the trellis up for me this summer when I really needed it.

Now to get down to the business at hand.  Planting bulbs - It's still not too late to plant your fall bulbs - just be sure to get them in before ground freeze and add a little bulb booster while you're at it.  It will help them out a lot, especially at this late date.  With all the dead plants in your garden to haul out, now is the ideal time to get that compost heap going if you haven't already.  One of the best ammendments for any type of soil is compost, which you can make yourself with garden  waste and vegetable scraps from your kitchen.  Eventually all of these items will decompose creating rich compost to add to your soil next spring. 

Compost decomposes quickly when there is a balance between brown and green materials.  There should be more brown materials than green.  Brown materials comprise straw, leaves, dried stems from your flowers,, etc, and green material would be things such as vegetable peels and grass clippings. Prepare your compost with loosened soil on the bottom, brown matter, green matter, more soil, brown matter, green matter, and so on and so forth. Occassionally turn  and mix in all the materials to speed  the composting  process.

Compost  will not decompose  properly if it is too dry or too wet.  Keep the pile covered during heavy rain and add water if there is no rainfall.  The texture of the compost pile should be moist - something like a moist sponge.  You need air in your compost pile, so use a garden fork to poke holes down into the pile occasionally.  If you have a thermometer to check the temperature it will be working good at 70 degrees C or 158 degrees F. Your finished compost will be dark in colour and light in texture.  When you can no longer recognize what went in the compost, it is ready.

So, now to go out to my garden with the flashlight to vine my clematis stems up the newly installed trellis... Where is that Bruce?.

~Callie

Callie is the author of http://www.calliesgardens.com/